Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 19

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः · Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Spoken by Rama to SitaPlaces named: वनम्, पृथिवीम्Pre-entry counsel; emphasizing terrestrial hazards of the forest floor

Devanagari script

सरीसृपाश्च बहवो बहुरूपाश्च भामिनि ।

चरन्ति पृथिवीं दर्पात्ततो दुःखतरं वनम् ॥१९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.19

Transliteration

sarīsṛpāś ca bahavo bahu-rūpāś ca bhāmini |

caranti pṛthivīṃ darpāt tato duḥkhataraṃ vanam ||19||

Translation

गोरी, ज़मीन पर बहुत सारे साँप-बिच्छू घूमते हैं। हर तरह के जानवर हैं, और तेज़ चलते हैं। इसलिए जंगल में रहना और भी खतरनाक है।

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Word by Word

• sarīsṛpāḥ: reptiles
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarīsṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and/also)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• bahavaḥ: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; agrees with sarīsṛpāḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)

• bahurūpāḥ: of many forms
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (बहु) + rūpa (रूप)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (many-formed); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agrees with sarīsṛpāḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and/also)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• bhāmini: O beautiful lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)

• caranti: move about
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)

• pṛthivīm: the ground/earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• darpāt: from fierceness/arrogance
• Type: Noun
• Root: darpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana; ablative of cause
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)

• tataḥ: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (therefore)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)

• duḥkhataraṃ: more painful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Comparative, Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate for vanam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)

• vanam: forest life
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

Sandhi Notes

• sarīsṛpāś ca → sarīsṛpāḥ + ca
• darpāttato → darpāt + tataḥ
• duḥkhataraṅ → duḥkhataraṃ

Context

There are various forms of fierce reptiles fearlessly crawling on the ground. So (living in the) forest is extremely dangerous.

The teaching

धर्ममार्गे प्रकृतिदोषाः—one must proceed with awareness; courage includes caution.

Duties in tension

• Desire to accompany spouse vs exposure to physical danger
• Idealized forest-romance vs practical vigilance

Ethical theme

Prudence within duty; protective responsibility

How it resolves

Risk disclosure; urging informed consent and preparedness

For your practice

Mindfulness (apramāda) and steady courage in daily life; seeing hazards without panic.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Wary, tense, alert

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Protection
• Renunciation
• Peril

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma includes prudent protection of dependents: Rāma emphasizes real dangers to prevent avoidable harm to Sītā.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues detailing the forest’s threats, focusing on creatures that make travel and dwelling unsafe.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protectiveness and foresight—anticipating risks rather than reacting after harm occurs.